Arts for Health Week – Isabelle’s Story: “It Just Cheers Me Up!”
For Isabelle on Ward 3C, there’s always something to look forward to when the Arts for Health team arrive.
Whether it’s musicians, magicians or costume design workshops, Isabelle loves getting involved in every activity on offer – and says each visit helps brighten her time in hospital.
“I like all of them,” she said with a smile. “They’re just really fun.”
One of her favourite memories was meeting the Alder Hey magician Barrington, who left her laughing throughout his performance.
“He was so funny and made me laugh a lot.”
Music sessions are another highlight, with visiting musicians bringing along keyboards, bongos, xylophones and guitars, giving patients the chance to experience different instruments and enjoy live performances on the ward.
But it’s the creative workshops that Isabelle says have made the biggest impression.
She especially loves the acting and costume design sessions, where she recently helped create an outfit inspired by Matilda.
When Isabelle was an inpatient at Alder Hey, she was visited twice a week by Matt Rutter, a Theatre Practitioner and Educator, who has delivered sessions for children and young people at Alder Hey for 7 years, both in Sunflower House, our mental health inpatient unit, and across our hospital wards. Matt ran the Young Everyman Playhouse (YEP) programme for 12 years and his background in devising theatre with young people means that he is an expert in bringing their visions and ideas to life.
Together, Isabelle and Matt would explore her interests with the idea of developing a collaborative project, which is where the idea of designing a costume for Matilda came from.
Describing her design, Isabelle explained: “She had a blue dress, a white cardigan, a red headband and red shoes.”
She carefully chose light cotton fabrics for the costume, with a fluffy cardigan to finish the look.
“I’ve never really got to design something before,” she said. “It’s a new experience.”
For Isabelle, the Arts for Health programme offers much more than entertainment.
“Sometimes I’m up and down,” she explained. “I have really bad days and good days, and it just cheers me up, really. It makes me feel happy.”
She believes the activities make a difference for every child on the ward too.
“It’s something to do instead of just sitting in bed the whole time. It’s just really fun, and I’m sure the other children think it’s fun as well.”
